Глаголы действия или бездействия

В английском языке не все глаголы обозначают активное действие. Существуют так называемые non-action verbs (их также называют stative или non-progressive), которые описывают скорее состояние или чувство, нежели активный процесс, и обычно НЕ используются в продолжительных временах. К таким глаголам относятся: agree, believe, belong, depend, forget, hate, hear, know, like, love, matter, mean, need, own, prefer, realize, recognize, seem, suppose, understand, want.

• I’m hearing the music.
• I hear the music.
• I've been knowing him for 2 years.
• I've known him for 2 years.
• I’m forgetting what color her eyes are.
• I forget what color her eyes are.
• He is seeming to know what he wants.
• He seems to know what he wants.
• An adult is supposing to sleep 8 hours a day.
• An adult is supposed to sleep 8 hours a day.

Некоторые глаголы могут иметь как non-action так и action значение. Например: appear, be, consider, feel, have, look, see, sound, smell, taste, think.

• Mr. Kite is a doctor. (Non-action)
• Lucy is being silly today. (Action)
• I have a big house. (Non-action)
• I can’t talk now. I am having lunch. (Action).
• Those girls look beautiful. (Non-action)
• I am looking at you. (Action)
• I think he is a good guy. (Non-action)
• I am thinking about my new job. (Action)

В английском языке есть глаголы, которые не употребляются с временами группы Continuous. К ним относятся глаголы, обозначающие чувства, состояния, эмоции, то есть действия, которые нельзя наблюдать: be, have, feel, own, like, dislike, know, love, hate, want, appear, wish, smell, sound, taste, believe, belong, need и т.д. Если используется один из этих глаголов, то используется простое время (Present Simple, Past Simple или другое время, в зависимости от ситуации), то есть время, не обозначающее процессы. Все эти действия невозможно наблюдать в виде процесса.

• I like your new shirt. I am liking your new shirt. Мне нравится твоя новая рубашка.
• I believe in God. I am believing in God. Я верю в Бога.
• His father owns this hotel. His father is owning this hotel. Его отец владеет этой гостиницей.

Некоторые из non-action глаголов могут использоваться во временах Continuous, меняя при этом значение:

• have (обладать) – having (проводить время; кушать или пить): I have a cat. -У меня есть кошка. I am having a great time! - Я здорово провожу время! I can't talk now. I'm having lunch.
• be (быть, существовать) – being (используется для обозначения временного действия) I am a lawyer. Я – адвокат (=Я есть адвокат). You are being so rude today! Ты сегодня такой грубый! (= временное состояние).
• think (иметь мнение) – thinking (обдумывать): I think you are right. Я думаю, что ты прав. (=моё мнение). I am thinking hard about the plan. Я тщательно обдумываю план.
• see (видеть) – seeing (встречаться): I see a dog. Я вижу собаку. I am seeing Jack on Monday. Я встречаюсь с Джеком в понедельник. I am seeing a doctor at 5 o`clock. Я иду на приём к врачу в пять часов.
• feel (чувствовать, думать) – feeling (трогать, чувствовать пальцами, чувствовать себя (о здоровье)): I feel she`s making a mistake. Я чувствую, что она делает ошибку. (=Я думаю) I am feeling very tired today. Сегодня я чувствую себя очень усталой.
• taste (иметь вкус) – tasting (пробовать): The soup tastes wonderful! Суп восхитителен! (=имеет восхитительный вкус) I am tasting a new salad. Я пробую новый салат.
• look (казаться, выглядеть) - looking (смотреть): It looks impossible! Это кажется невозможным! That guy is looking at you. Тот парень смотрит на тебя.
• smell (пахнуть) – smelling (чувствовать запах, нюхать): The chicken smells good. Цыпленок вкусно пахнет. I am smelling the rose. Я чувствую запах розы.

Stative Verbs

Stative or non-action verbs are verbs that describe a state or condition rather than an action. As a state has no real beginning or end, stative verbs are only used with simple and perfect tenses. They cannot be used with continuous tenses.

These are some of the most common verbs that refer to states or conditions, so they are stative verbs.

Possession and size.

Examples: belong, own, have (meaning ‘possess’), possess, weigh, measure.

Opinion

Examples: know, believe, agree, think (meaning ‘believe’ or ‘have an opinion’), imagine, understand.

Likes and dislikes, feelings and emotions.

Examples: like, love, want, need, wish, prefer, dislike.

Perception and the senses.

Examples: sound, hear, seem, see*, appear*, look*, taste*, smell*, feel*.

* Although they are usually used as stative verbs, these verbs can also be dynamic when they are used to describe voluntary actions, not perceptions.

Dynamic Verbs

Dynamic verbs describe an action, change, or process with a beginning and an end. They are the most common type of verb and can be used in all tenses and aspects.

When referring to an action that is or was in progress, we use dynamic verbs with a continuous tense.

However, when referring to habits or things that are always true, we use them with a simple tense.

Here are some common verbs that refer to actions, not states, so they are dynamic and can be used in both simple and continuous tenses: eat, run, swim, speak, talk, walk, sleep, make, cook, come, go, buy, sit, watch, listen, do, play, say, read, write, stand, bring, take, give, jump, drive, ride, climb, fly, fall, cry, drink, send, kiss, wear, smell*, taste*, feel*, look*.

* These are often stative verbs, but they can be used in continuous forms when they are voluntary actions.

Verbs which are both stative and dynamic

Some verbs can be both stative and dynamic. Here are some common examples.

Have

Have, meaning ‘to possess’, describes a state, so it is a stative verb.

But when have doesn’t mean ‘to possess’, it describes an action, so it is a dynamic verb.

Be

The verb be is normally used to describe a state, so it is a stative verb.

But when be means ‘to act or behave’, it describes an action, so it is a dynamic verb.

Think

Think, meaning ‘to believe’ or ‘to have an opinion’, describes a state, so it is a stative verb.

Think, meaning ‘to use your brain to reflect”, is an action, so it is a dynamic verb

Look

Look, meaning ‘to appear’, is a state, so it is a stative verb.

Look, meaning ‘to focus the eyes on something’, is an action, so it is a dynamic verb.

Taste, see, smell, feel

Although they are usually classified as stative, some verbs of the senses (e.g., taste, see, smell, feel) can also be dynamic when they refer to voluntary actions and not perceptions.